Reviews and Road tests - New Car Nethttps://www.newcarnet.co.uk/reviews/Thu, 24 Jan 2019 13:28:58 +0000en-GBSite-Server v6.0.0-17304-17304 (http://www.squarespace.com)Jeep Renegade - Launch ReportMassimo PiniWed, 04 Jul 2018 08:29:00 +0000https://www.newcarnet.co.uk/reviews/jeep-renegade-launch-report55d74953e4b054689caf6e9c:55d74c89e4b01f81cf3728e0:5b2944446d2a7331198099c4Massimo Pini headed to Northern Italy to check out the revamped Renegade
– the compact SUV that’s spearheading Jeep’s expansion plans as the first
of several new cars on the horizon from the iconic American manufacturer.

Massimo Pini headed to Northern Italy to check out the revamped Renegade – the compact SUV that’s spearheading Jeep’s expansion plans as the first of several new cars on the horizon from the iconic American manufacturer.

Due out in September, the latest Renegade comes with new engines and updates inside and out. Powertrains include the first use of Fiat’s new MultiAir III turbo petrol engines – a 1.0-litre three-cylinder and a 1.3-litre four. Despite their diminutive capacities, they pack some decent punch with the 1.3 offering power outputs of either 150 or 180hp over the entry-level three-pot’s 120.

Three MultiJet diesel engines are also available in 1.6 and 2.0-litre guises with a variety of transmissions available across the range, including six-speed manuals as well as DCT semi-automatics and nine-speed autos.

All models get LED headlamps and feature the iconic seven slot grille – a design detail which is picked up across the interior and exterior of the vehicle (we played a fun game of ‘Spot the Slots’) and even on the ignition key. Some though this to be overkill but we thought it was well-judged.

If you’re not likely to venture off the tarmac, then a standard Renegade will suit you just fine, but for those who have cause to stray into the wilderness, the Trailhawk specification will cope with the rough stuff just about as well as any other 4x4 Jeep.

Thanks to a selectable drive system for snow, sand, mud and rocky terrain, independent suspension, a ground clearance of over eight inches, hill descent control and low ratio gears, the Trailhawk can tackle all but the very toughest of conditions – and we were able to put it to the test over the Balocco Proving Ground’s off-road track, which the feisty compact SUV tackled with aplomb, confirming its genuine Jeep DNA.

The petrol models are not available with four-wheel-drive and, as such, are more at home in day-to-day ‘on-road’ driving conditions. The 1.3-litre petrol Renegade (in 150hp guise) felt noticeably perkier than the 1.0-litre, delivering its extra 30 horses to good effect. It covers the 0-62mph sprint in 9.4 seconds on its way to a flat out maximum of 122mph.

If low running costs are paramount, then the 1.0-litre engine Renegade is the one to go for. Jeep claims Combined economy of 47mpg and CO2 emissions of 139g/km, with still reasonable acceleration of 0-62mph in 11.2 seconds.

On the tech front, the Renegade is now up to date with full smartphone compatibility and an optional 8.4in touchscreen for the Uconnect connectivity/infotainment system.A revised layout includes a centre console with handy storage areas for a phone while the central USB port is now also accessible to rear seats passengers.

Safety equipment fitted as standard includes lane departure warning, a speed limiter and traffic sign recognition, with an automatic parking system on the way. All models are fitted with automatic emergency braking and forward collision alerts, while adaptive cruise control, rear cross traffic detection and blind spot monitoring are also available.

Physical exterior changes are restricted to minor tweaks so cabin space is very much as it was – good for the class – with boot space ranging from 351 to 1297 litres with the rear seats folded.

Prices and exact performance/economy data is yet to be released but the current line-up kicks off from about £18,500 and tops out at over £30k for the ‘tough-mudder’ Trailhawk model.

With a new Wrangler due in September, Jeep is set to expand its range from five to eight models in the coming months, adding a pick-up, a large (Range Rover-sized) model and a compact SUV to sit beneath the Renegade, according to Head of Jeep Brand - EMEA, Jeff Hines.

The Jeep Renegade is built in Italy alongside the Fiat 500X (a car with which it shares many underpinnings), but it is sold across the world – and in big numbers – with 800,000 finding customers since the current version appeared 2014, so this is a very important car both for Jeep and parent company FCA (Fiat Chrysler Automobiles).

This latest update keeps the Renegade competitive. Its new, more efficient engines and genuine off-road capability, coupled with distinctive styling and enduring brand heritage will ensure it continues to find buyers for some time to come.

Charis Whitcombe drives the very latest VW Golf – and rather likes it.

It’s hard to think of anything to dislike about this Golf, except perhaps the colour. It’s not that I can’t see the slightly eccentric attraction of Turmeric Yellow, it’s just that everyone who saw it said, “Ooh, it’s yellow! Why did you choose that colour?” and it got a bit wearing.

Colour aside, this car is unequivocally superb. I suppose when you’ve spent more than 40 years honing one model, you should have managed to iron out most of the kinks and that’s exactly what Volkswagen has done. The Golf is the car most people in the popular hatchback bracket would like to own if they had the dosh. One of my ooh-it’s-yellow friends admitted it was his dream car, which seemed a bit low-aiming to me (surely a ‘dream’ car should be a Ferrari 250 GTO?) but he was insistent.

And maybe he’s right. Who wants a £52 million car anyway? Since the first Golf arrived in 1974, the R&D people have been refining the engine, the drivetrain, the economy and safety and handling and roadholding and in-car techno-gadgets and rarely is any car so fault-free.

To pick a tiny detail, even the wing mirrors, no doubt with clever fuel-saving aerodynamics firmly in mind, are exquisitely shaped but I also like the aforementioned engine, drivetrain, economy, safety, handling, roadholding and in-car techno-gadgets too. Above all, there’s the smoothly solid ride of magnificently engineered suspension. This Golf feels as though it’s been developed with typical average road speeds in mind, and honed to give a feeling of vibration-free comfort.

Performance? Well, zero to 62mph in 9.9 seconds is pretty outstanding from a 1.0-litre three-cylinder engine that claims 58.9mpg Combined and – judging by our week-long test drive – comes in at a real-world figure not a million miles adrift of that, even when driving quite spicily. Of course, a sense of sprightly performance depends not just on ultimate acceleration figures, but on a car’s response to small throttle inputs – and you do need a bit of determined footwork to get this Golf off the line. Yet it still offers surprising alacrity for what is, let’s face it, a huge and heavy automobile compared with the original 1974 Golf. Or even versions just a few years old.

Meanwhile, changing gear is a pleasure rather than a burden, as the 6-speed manual gearshift is without flaw, and life on board is made even more serene by the intuitively easy-to-use (a VW speciality) infotainment system. An 8.0-inch colour touchscreen is standard on this trim level but our test car (an SE Nav 1.0-litre TSI 110PS) came complete with an upgraded 12.3-inch high-res TFT ‘Active Info Display’.

Seat comfort, a factor I spurned in my youth but have come increasingly to value, is better than many a car with a price tag three times larger, and the difference between the highest and lowest positions of the seat is huge – enough to accommodate six-and-a-half-footers and short-arses like me with equal aplomb. However… our test model did have the (ouch) £2,115 option of heated front sports seats with leather upholstery and adjustable lumbar support.

And there, perhaps, is the downside of this car, in common with most of its German relatives, as the digestible RRP of £19,910 is never going to be the real-world price. Our test model boasted optional equipment that boosts the price to £26,705, which I make a startling 34% extra. Ouch again.

So perhaps those gorgeous sports seats will have to go, along with the electrically adjustable driver’s seat (another £595 on top of the already stonking £2,115), especially as I prefer the more rapid manual adjustment of a good old lever and wheel.

But what about that Turmeric Yellow metallic paint job? I admit I’ve grown to rather like it, but at £575 I think I’ll give it a miss.

The Karoq replaces the much-admired Yeti, Skoda’s small SUV that so often topped its rivals in the reviewers’ league tables. The Yeti was loved for its quirky character, practicality and relatively low price, leaving the Karoq with a steep mountain to climb.

The new offering is bigger and altogether more grown-up. My 6-foot-5 husband sat comfortably in the back with such an embarrassingly large space over his head that I wondered if he’d shrunk. And the boot is vast: if you removed the Varioflex rear seats (more on those later), you could probably get a bicycle in there, never mind the weekly shopping. “Small” SUVs are no longer any such thing.

Our test car was a six-speed manual with what’s likely to be the most popular engine – the 148bhp 1.5 TSI turbocharged petrol. With 62mph in 8.4 seconds, the performance is pretty impressive, especially when CO2 is a very moderate 125g/km and Combined mpg a healthy 51.4.

Okay, it’s no sports car, but if you want one of those don’t buy a c.£25k SUV – which is the surprisingly small price tag on an SE L trim car with a few options (heated steering wheel and windscreen, metallic paint and a space-saver spare wheel) chucked on top. And that’s all it needed, because for the OTR price of £24,520, you get a gobsmackingly generous helping of in-car niceties as standard… from Alcantara upholstery and sat nav, to heated front seats, DAB and Bluetooth, a cooled glovebox and a bloody excellent rear-view camera. You could just about read the home screen of the phone being stared at by the brain-numbed pedestrian who wanders off the pavement as you reverse towards them.

Oh, and those Varioflex seats are a standard fitment too – a brilliant carry-over from the Yeti, with independently sliding, reclining (and even removable) rear seats.

But it’s not just the genuinely useful gizmos in the cabin that transmit a feeling of quality somewhat at odds with the price. Everything feels good to the touch – heavy, well-weighted and cushioned.

Meanwhile, the Karoq’s external appearance is enhanced by the standard 18-inch alloy wheels but the driving experience is not. The clever, pothole-absorbing suspension has to struggle hard to cope with huge, low-profile tyres, and sometimes it fails to stop the odd THUNK over the crumbling asphalt of 2018 roads. I’d love to try the Karoq on smaller wheels and higher-profile tyres as I bet the feel would be drastically improved; but, as is so often the case, cosmetic appearance is considered more important to buyers than mechanical function. So big wheels it is. And speaking of wheels, our test car is no 4x4. You can opt for 4WD but ours was front-wheel drive and the SUV style was for the driving height not off-road antics.

So, has the Karoq climbed the mountain to rival the Yeti? For me, yes, if only because the Yeti was so eye-wateringly ugly (facelifted or otherwise) that its appearance was a deal-breaker. I know there are many who called the Yeti’s bulbousness ‘characterful’ and its laughably upright rear end ‘distinctive’, but come on. Enough of the euphemisms: the Yeti was a stonkingly good car but so ugly it hurt to look at it.

The Karoq is much less ugly. It arguably has a certain aloof attraction, although one friend said it was ‘scowling’ and didn’t seem to have much sense of humour. (Fine by me, the last thing I want is a car that makes me laugh.)

In short, Skoda’s new SUV gets our very definite, very enthusiastic thumbs-up, though for some it might not fill the void left by the admirably unsightly Yeti. However, if you’re a buyer seeking comfort, practical features and solid in-cabin quality, the Karoq certainly has enough to take on rivals from other marques, such as the sportier Seat Ateca and pricier, slightly larger VW Tiguan.

Car buffs are well familiar with the emotive superlatives used to describe Ferrari. Some of you may be even bored with them. Yet each time I drive a new Ferrari I lose myself to a spiral of poetic prose like a lovesick child. I’ve finally found ’love’…..again!

Yet it is a motor car. A machine. How do you create life, feeling, emotion, excitement, exhilaration inspiration and beauty in….a machine? The answer lies in spending a day behind the wheel of the new Ferrari Portofino.

This very same reflection took me back to the dinner conversation with Ferrari senior personnel the night before. To my left was the Head of Product Marketing, to my right a chap called James May who does a bit of telly, to the right of him the Portofino’s Chief Designer and in between, a few other scribbler colleagues. We debated words and phrases symbolising Ferrari - ‘beauty’ ‘speed’, ‘style’, ‘exclusivity’ all got the thumbs up. Yet, if one of my non-Ferrari colleagues around the table came up with a word or phrase that didn’t quite fit the brand, suddenly you’d hear an animated response from the Ferrari personnel “….no, no no, that is not ‘Ferrari!”.

The point was indeed clear: what makes Ferrari are the human and emotional qualities that can only be created by those who feel the spirit of the brand in their souls; “It is a big responsibility ” Mr Head of Marketing tells me, “– but one we embrace.” I don’t see how anyone who doesn’t have that essential Ferrari DNA in their veins could ever successfully work for this brand – which is hence duly cliched with emotion.

The new Portofino has more of the spiritual Ferrari DNA than the California T it replaces. That car, albeit softer and more user friendly than other models, was indeed capable of creating the Ferrari magic, whereas the previous California was geared towards less demanding customers, who were maybe trying the brand for the first time, and wanted a relatively ‘easier to drive’ prancing horse that could be used day to day. I suspect many of its customers even lived in California, where sunshine and long-distance cruising are typical.

But the Portofino is having none of that; whilst admittedly a tamer expression of the brand and retaining the California’s ‘drivability’, it performs from the outset like a true Ferrari. No more Mr Nice Guy. With the Portofino, if you want to buy into the brand, you buy into it ‘pure’.

The Portofino’s much more alluring styling was apparently inspired by the legendary Daytona. Instead of the lazy sunshine of California, in the Portofino, we have a name inspired by one of the most charming villages on the Italian Riviera. 35% stiffer and 80 kg lighter than the outgoing California T, it sparks into life with an exhilarating scream from its award-winning V8 engine which is boosted by an extra 40bhp. Add to that technical handling improvements; stiffer springs, the latest evolution of the ‘magnetorheological’ damping system, (SCM-E) and a new ECU configuration implementing control algorithms to improve the dynamic handling. You can see where this is going. Now we have a true ‘baby Ferrari’.

Yet whilst so true to the brand, this prancing horse drives quite differently to any of the many Ferraris’ we have previously driven. The lightness, power and precision give it more of a ‘go-kart’ feel, yet that uncanny Ferrari know-how makes it a pliant and comfortable companion when the Manettino is set to ‘comfort’ for everyday driving.

The Portofino is a positive step change up from the California; more ‘Ferrari’ if you like but not enough to deter first timers to the brand, or those who may be disinclined towards a harder core driving experience.

It’s also a new Ferrari driving experience in its own right; a lighter more agile car, its now electronic steering requiring a finer balance of driving style – no place for aggression and no need for it. The back end will respond instantly to sharp steering inputs and should you confidently (and surprisingly easily) tease it out of line, it soon self-corrects and helps to point you in the right direction – even without traction control. As with all well-sorted chassis, it’s predictable enough not to cause alarm, and actually, if you have the ability to drive it on the edge of adhesion in a safe environment, ie a track or handling circuit, you’ll have the time of your life.

At normal urban speeds and in ‘comfort’ setting, the Portofino is relaxed and absolutely driver friendly to any with a reasonable level of skill. Be reassured. At these speeds you will be inclined to enjoy the engine note and the sunshine while appreciating the admiring glances that invariably follow this beautiful car; its scoops and lines much more in keeping with the contemporary Ferrari ‘look’.

On take off the throttle responds to the slightest movement of toe, never mind ‘foot’! it is progressive with that keen engine note that tells all within audible distance that a Ferrari is in town. That scream progresses through each of the gears at the flick of a steering mounted paddle, or automatically self-regulating, whichever you choose….then it’s up to you.

If you are a keen driver, you will soon step up the pace and enjoy the character change that follows suit. As we’ve said, the car is light but there’s plenty of grip, and until the tyres are warm it isn’t wise to do anything unorthodox. As the car warms to your new driving style the Ferrari DNA begins to shine. Some very clever person at Ferrari knows exactly what you’re looking for – and Dr Jekyll becomes Mr Hyde with 0-60 in 3.5 seconds and a top speed of circa 200 mph!

At motorway speeds it’s exciting - looks good, (as it passes you) sounds good, (as it passes you) looks pretty (as it brakes in front of you) and sits solid (as it accelerates away from you). Quite frankly it is an object of envy – a car you look at and wish you could own one day. And if you have the wherewithal (a shade over £166k) – it’s on sale now, with first deliveries expected in July.

The Portofino is a car to enjoy for the sheer purity and fun of driving. And you ask why I love Ferraris?

Specification

]]>Ford Fiesta - Road TestReviewMassimo PiniMon, 04 Dec 2017 11:37:00 +0000https://www.newcarnet.co.uk/reviews/ford-fiesta-road-test55d74953e4b054689caf6e9c:55d74c89e4b01f81cf3728e0:5a6e7346085229bac52f4268Massimo Pini drives the all-new, seventh generation Fiesta to find out how
Ford has updated the small hatchback that’s been the UK’s top seller for
the past eight years.

Massimo Pini drives the all-new, seventh generation Fiesta to find out how Ford has updated the small hatchback that’s been the UK’s top seller for the past eight years.

The term ‘icon’ is often bandied about rather loosely when it comes to the car industry. Every manufacturer would like to boast of having one among its product line-up but few can truly lay claim. In the case of the Fiesta, I’m not suggesting that the car itself is an icon, but the nameplate, thanks to its longevity and ubiquity, definitely makes the grade in my book.

Given the original car’s arrival in 1976 and my own advancement through middle age, the Ford Fiesta has been a constant since my early years and I have had memorable personal encounters with a number of different variants, most notably the Mark 1 and the Mark 6.

But Ford can’t simply rely on nostalgia to keep the Fiesta at the top of the sales charts. The B-segment (small hatchback) market is ultra-competitive, so the goal with this all-new car is to build on the strengths of its predecessor while addressing a few shortcomings that are principally age-related since the 6th-gen car first appeared back in 2008.

Kicking off with the exterior design, there’s really no mistaking the new car for anything other than a Fiesta. This could be seen as a strength or a weakness but only time will tell. On the one hand, following the “If it ain’t broke...” principle, why would you want to alienate customers who know and love the outgoing model? But then again, that car arrived almost a decade ago so there’s a danger that the new Fiesta’s design might start to date rather more quickly.

The overall effect is smart and a little more grown-up, with a few less ‘pimples’ thanks to some subtle detail improvements which include flush-fitting parking sensors, windscreen washer nozzles hidden beneath the upper bonnet lip and no visible screws in the tail-lights or rear fascia. And to top it all off, Ford has added the option of an opening full length, panoramic glass roof - a first for the Fiesta.

So if the changes on the outside are somewhat evolutionary, the same certainly can’t be said of the interior, which has undergone a total transformation. Ford says the design was inspired by smart devices and tablets – hence the large (up to 8-inch) touchscreen perched atop the dash which provides access to the Sync 3 infotainment system while also allowing the designers to ‘de-clutter’ reducing the number of buttons on the centre console by almost half compared to the outgoing model.

The quality of the fit and finish has improved markedly, with soft touch materials creating a distinctly more upmarket feel. The upholstery and carpets were apparently tested in Ford’s upgraded materials lab, with the seat cushions undergoing 60,000 test ‘sittings’ by a robot bottom (robottom?) to ensure wear-resistance. Pretty reassuring then - but at the same time rather depressing - to think that if you buy a new Fiesta, there’s every chance that your bum will begin to sag before the seat does!

Cabin space is good with decent head- and legroom up front and in the rear, backed up by a well-sized boot. It’s not the biggest in its class but you won’t feel shortchanged.

The Fiesta has earned its stripes over the years as one of the finest handling small hatchbacks on the market, so to find out whether the latest version can continue to lay claim to this lofty reputation, we tested the 100 PS, 1.0-litre Ecoboost petrol-powered model in Zetec trim, which Ford expects to become the best seller in the range.

On the move, it’s quite refined and engine noise is well-suppressed, thanks to a stiffer body, an acoustic windscreen and an overall reduction in noise, vibration and harshness (NVH). Ford claims best-in-class levels of quietness with interior road noise at 62 mph offering a seven per cent improvement over the outgoing model.

The Ecoboost engine really seems tailor made for the Fiesta. Power delivery is smooth, making it enjoyable to wring out the revs to the red line when the mood takes you, and while pace is brisk rather than exceptional (0-62 mph in 10.5 seconds and a top speed of 113 mph), there’s still fun to be had in this nimble and well-balanced hatchback. And this performance does not come at the expense of efficiency with the EcoBoost returning 65.7 mpg economy on the Combined cycle and CO2 emissions of 93 g/km.

The pedals are nicely weighted, the new 6-speed gearbox has a quick, positive action and the steering is responsive with plenty of feedback. The suspension set-up is on the firm side but still comfortable and well controlled so the Fiesta rides well over most surfaces. It’s also a competent motorway cruiser, getting up to and maintaining the legal maximum with the minimum of fuss - and noise, thanks to that 6th gear.which helps keep the engine that bit quieter at higher speeds.

Zetec trim is probably the one to go for in terms of the ideal equipment versus value combination with 15-inch alloys, front fog lights, a heated windscreen and a 6.5-inch touchscreen infotainment system fitted as standard for the asking price of £15,445 on-the-road. Adding a few options, however, including special paint, satellite navigation and the safety focused Driver’s Assistance Pack - bumps the total cost of our test car up to £17,375, which does start to look a little pricey.

Nonetheless, the new Fiesta’s all-round ability makes it a compelling proposition - especially when fitted with the EcoBoost engine. Not only is it great to drive, offering the flexibility to tackle urban trips and longer motorway journeys, but its agile handling and competitive running costs should ensure that it continues to dominate the sales charts for some time to come.

Fiat is looking to make inroads into the lifestyle pick-up market with its stylish new Fullback Cross off-roader. Massimo Pini gets behind the wheel.

Q: How do you make a Fullback Cross?A: If you’re Gareth Southgate, you tell Kyle Walker to make more overlapping runs and whip the ball in for Harry Kane, but if you’re Fiat, then you sprinkle a little more Italian flair on your Mitsubishi L200-based pick-up, to create a funky, lifestyle edition.

Teaming up with Mitsubishi in the first place was a smart move from an economic point of view as the cost of Fiat developing a new vehicle from the ground up would have been significantly higher, while from a reputational standpoint, the Fullback instantly inherited some ‘fit for purpose’ kudos thanks to the L200’s proven track record - earned the hard way.

Check out the video from the Launch in Italy

Fiat launched the Fullback in 2016, but now it’s adding to its existing rather functional range with the new, flagship ‘Cross’ variant, as it hopes to take a bigger slice of the pick-up market sector that has grown by more than 60 percent in the past four years, with lifestyle versions accounting for 25% of the segment.

Ringing the changes against the standard Fullback, the Cross presents a sportier look thanks to its exclusive, textured black sport bar - styled in Italy by Fiat Centro Stile - mounted atop the load platform, as well as a the application of a trendy matt black finish to the custom front grille, door mirrors, door handles, wheel arch flares and 17-inch alloy wheels which are shod with chunky all-terrain tyres. There are also newly designed side steps, a bespoke load liner (both finished in black), a silver skid-plate and chrome door sills.

On cars finished in the dark metallic grey, the sport bar transforms the typical ‘chopped off car with a tray stuck on the back’ pick-up profile into something much more fluid and shapely. I’m sure that as the grey Fullback Cross flashed past the pedestrians of Turin (where the launch took place), many would have been fooled into thinking it was a jacked up saloon. The effect is lost of course, on cars finished in lighter hues when the dark grey addenda serve to contrast rather than complement the bodywork.

As to whether the sport bar improves airflow, Fullback Product Manager, Giuseppe Strata, confirmed that the effect was negligible, “The sport bar was designed to be aerodynamically efficient, and it is also load-bearing, but it’s primary function is purely aesthetic.”

Power comes from the tried and tested 2.4-litre diesel engine in its more powerful 180 horsepower guise (a 150hp version is available in the standard Fullback), mated to either a six-speed manual or, in the version we drove, a five-speed automatic gearbox fitted with steering wheel mounted paddle shifters - if you like that sort of thing.

With peak torque of 430 Nm at 2500 rpm on tap, the powertrain offers plenty of low-down grunt, but it’s also rather gruff and makes quite a racket as it responds to a heavy right foot. A little more sound insulation would surely improve the situation but, to be fair, noise levels are far from unacceptable when travelling under lighter loads with more genteel accelerator inputs.

Fiat claims the traction system as among the best in class (bar the L200, Strata cited the VW Amarok as the only competitor that comes close) with four driving modes. A simple rotary dial in the centre console makes it a doddle to switch from two-wheel drive to all-wheel drive with a Torsen central differential that automatically distributes torque between the front and rear axles in response to traction needs or can be locked for a 50/50 front-rear split for off-road use. There are also low-range gears and, for the most extreme conditions, you can even lock the rear differential.

We tried the Fullback Cross on a variety of surfaces, beginning with the tarmac and cobbles on the city streets of Turin, before heading up into the twisty mountain roads of Piedmont and eventually onto unmade muddy tracks for a spot of mild off-roading among the vineyards. Fiat’s pick-up performed well enough in town: its knobbly, high-profile, all-terrain tyres made the ride a little more comfortable but this was accompanied by a mild increase in road noise. On the fun side, switching to two-wheel drive mode even allowed for a bit of controlled ‘drifting’ as coaxing the tail to step out slightly was easily corrected with a flick of the steering wheel. I mention this to illustrate that the handling is predictable and the chassis well-sorted, not because I think that ‘driftability’ is particularly high on the agenda of pick-up buyers.

Bearing out Fiat’s brag about the Fullback Cross’s class-leading traction, we found it to be incredibly capable once we left the tarmac behind and got the tyres caked in mud. Locking the rear diff enabled us to clamber out of some potentially tricky terrain with the minimum of fuss.

Inside, the Cross is pretty much identical to the regular Fullback. Leather seats are fitted as standard - the front ones are heated and the driver’s features electric adjustment - and the steering wheel is also wrapped in leather. Unsurprisingly, the 7-inch touchscreen navigation system is the same as the one fitted to the L200. This is not a problem in itself, but a little disappointing as it’s neither amongst the most responsive nor intuitive units available and buyers, particularly owner-operators, are starting to place more and more emphasis on in-car tech and connectivity.

On the practical front, the double cab offers seating for five with decent head- and legroom both up front and in the rear, while the 1 ton payload ensures the Fullback qualifies as a fully-fledged LCV (Light Commercial Vehicle) and thus benefits from associated tax breaks for business operators.

Despite this, the Fullback Cross’s lifestyle appeal means it will be sold through regular Fiat dealers - alongside passenger cars - as well as the Fiat Professional network with the rest of the commercial vehicle range, priced at £26,495 (ex. VAT) for the 6-Speed Manual and £27,895 (ex. VAT) for the 5-speed Automatic.

It’s a very capable machine and if you’re in the market for a versatile pick-up with off-road ability and kerbside cred, then it merits consideration alongside its Mitsubishi L200 cousin and the Volkswagen Amarok.

Whether buyers will choose to go for the ‘full-on’ Cross or simply opt for the regular Fullback and spec it up with one or two extras will, for many, depend on the finance deals available and Fiat is clearly well aware of this, having come up with Business Contract Hire deals of £269 (ex VAT) a month for the Manual and £279 for the Automatic (terms and conditions apply).

]]>Peugeot 5008 - First DriveReviewMassimo PiniFri, 20 Oct 2017 09:40:00 +0000https://www.newcarnet.co.uk/reviews/peugeot-5008-first-drive55d74953e4b054689caf6e9c:55d74c89e4b01f81cf3728e0:5a6fafff24a69470e7ca07aeSeeking to expand its SUV credentials still further, Peugeot has replaced
its 5008 MPV with an extended version of its highly successful 3008.
Massimo Pini reports from the UK launch.

Seeking to expand its SUV credentials still further, Peugeot has replaced its 5008 MPV with an extended version of its highly successful 3008. Massimo Pini reports from the UK launch.

Peugeot’s second-generation 5008 is a world away from the car it replaces, following the market trend by transforming from MPV to SUV. Massimo Pini reports from the UK Launch.

Before getting stuck into reviewing Peugeot’s latest 5008 in its brand new SUV guise, I’d like to take a moment to express my disappointment in saying goodbye to its predecessor, which in my eyes was one of the very prettiest MPVs on the market, as well as being good to drive, practical and versatile.

But there’s little room for sentiment in the car industry. Manufacturers need to design and build cars that meet customer demand, and that demand - for some time now - has been for SUVs rather than MPVs, so when Peugeot embarked upon developing a replacement for the 3008 and 5008, it took a leaf out of Nissan’s book.

he Qashqai has been (and continues to be) one of the most successful crossover/SUVs on the market and Nissan capitalised on its early success by creating an extended wheelbase, seven-seater ‘+2’ version (now replaced by the X-Trail) which proved extremely popular. In a similar way, Peugeot has extended its new 3008 by a total of 19cm (sharing the platform of the Citroen C4 Grand Picasso) and added a third row of seats to create the new 5008. I suppose you could call it a ‘+2000’.

Some of the extra length is in the wheelbase and some in the rear overhang and this helps a great deal with the car’s proportions, preventing it from looking stretched and ungainly. Indeed, the designers have been very canny in creating a kind of bustle-back at the rear of the car, finished in black to blend in with the roof (standard on all bar the entry-level model), so as to ‘hide’ the fairly upright rear screen and visually give the car a much sleeker and less van-like look. It’s not quite ‘Trompe-l'œil’ in the classical sense, but the eye is definitely being deceived.

The overall effect is that the car looks pretty much as stylish and dynamic as its smaller sibling, with which it shares identical bodywork from the B-post forward, and given that the 3008 has already bagged the European Car of the Year award, Peugeot has high hopes for its new seven-seater.

There are four trim levels on offer - Active, Allure, GT Line and GT - with a choice of two petrol and four diesel engines. I tested a diesel-powered 2.0 BlueHDi GT Line fitted with a 6-speed manual gearbox and also briefly sampled an automatic version.

Despite being 11cm longer than the outgoing model - the 5008 doesn’t feel like a large car on the move. Visibility is good all-round, making it easy to place on the road and it’s pleasantly agile with light steering, a positive gearchange and modest body roll. The suspension is sensibly biased towards comfort but while it copes well with uneven surfaces, it can get a tad fidgety on potholed roads.

The 150 PS, 2.0-litre diesel is relaxed at motorway speeds, but still has plenty of pulling power in reserve (370 Nm of torque from 2,000rpm) for those who need their daily driver to double as a tow car from time to time. It’s capable of a 129mph top speed and a 0-62mph sprint time of 9.6-seconds while CO2 emissions are pegged at 118 g/km with combined fuel economy of 61.4mpg.

The 5008 is an SUV but not an full-blooded off-roader. There are no four-wheel drive models but you do get Peugeot’s clever traction control system that optimises the car’s electronic gizmos to ensure safe progress on snow, mud or sand. There’s also hill-descent control to help you tackle steep slopes at a steady 2mph, while 18-inch alloys are fitted with mud and snow tyres to maximise grip when you do stray off the tarmac.

Inside, the cabin feels classy and well put together. The quality of the fit and finish is evident and the soft-touch materials lend it a near-premium feel. Just as in the 3008, there’s the i-Cockpit complete with its compact steering wheel, an 8-inch touchscreen in the centre console and a 12.3-inch digital head-up dash directly in front of the driver.

Seven stylish satin finish switches on the centre console allow short-cuts between screen functions, including climate control, satellite navigation and the telephone to save you scrolling through menus and keep your eyes on the road.

Practicality and versatility are also strong suits. The interior features three separate, folding, sliding seats in the second row and two removable, folding seats in the third. Boot capacity is 1,060 litres in 5-seater mode, expanding to a whopping 2,150 litres with the second row folded, and as if that wasn’t enough, the front passenger seat also folds, increasing the load length to 3.2 metres - especially handy if you prefer your surfboard to travel in comfort!

Peugeot is hoping that the new 5008 will appeal across a wide demographic, from drivers in their mid-thirties with active lifestyles to families and even retired couples - and I can see no reason why it shouldn’t. It somehow manages to be even more versatile than its MPV predecessor (despite its sleeker looks) with generous equipment levels and competitive pricing. The 2.0 BlueHDi GT Line starts from £31,425 but extras fitted to our test car - including leather upholstery and a panoramic opening glass roof - pushed the asking price up to well over £35k.

The all-new 5008 is set to launch in the UK in January 2018. The range kicks off from £24,495 on the road.

]]>Honda Civic Type R – First DriveReviewChris PickeringTue, 15 Aug 2017 09:46:00 +0000https://www.newcarnet.co.uk/reviews/honda-civic-type-r-first-drive55d74953e4b054689caf6e9c:55d74c89e4b01f81cf3728e0:594243a715d5dbed9991a711Honda’s feisty super-hatch is back with more power and even more attitude.
Chris Pickering reports from the international launch in Germany

Honda’s feisty super-hatch is back with more power and even more attitude. Chris Pickering reports from the international launch in Germany

Honda fans had a long wait for the previous generation Civic Type R. Years of speculation were followed by an all-too-brief production run right at the end of the outgoing model’s life. This time things are different, though. The new Type R comes hot on the heels of the standard tenth generation Civic, combining an all-new chassis with a breathed-on version of the old car’s 2-litre turbocharged engine.

A modest 10 PS power increase takes the total to 320 PS, with 400 Nm of torque. Even without the use of four-wheel drive, that’s enough to catapult the Honda from nought to 62 mph in 5.7 seconds and on to a top speed of 169 mph. Find a long enough stretch with a following wind and it’s likely this humble front-wheel drive hatchback will crack 170 mph.

Admittedly, humble is unlikely to be the word that springs to mind when you look at it. The Type R is brimming with aggression, from its touring car-style front splitter to the tip of that outrageous picnic table-sized rear wing. There’s science behind the ASBO appearance, though. All the aerodynamic aids are functional, Honda says, making this the only car in its class to generate real downforce (rather than merely countering lift).

Inside, the bright red sports seats deliver a similar statement of intent. Despite their vice-like grip they’re well-padded and surprisingly comfortable. The driving position is good too, with plenty of adjustment, and the seats now 25 mm lower than before.

Elsewhere, the new interior – which shares its fundamentals with the standard Civic – is a step up from the old car. The fit and finish good is generally good, although it doesn’t feel like it’s been hewn from solid granite in the way that the inside of a Golf R does. The Civic counters that with best in-class practicality, however, including generous rear leg room and a cavernous 420-litre boot.

Two trim specs are available. The standard Type R comes with Bluetooth and a 7-inch virtual cockpit display, complete with G-meter and lap timer functions, for £30,995. It also gets a host of electronic safety aids, including lane departure warning and active cruise control. Most buyers, however, are expected to opt for the GT version. Priced at £32,995, this adds a host of features, including blind spot detection, dual-zone climate control and an upgraded infotainment system with Garmin navigation and a wireless charging pad.

On the road

Prod the starter button – bright red, naturally – and the engine fires into life. There’s now a triple-pipe exhaust system, which uses the two outer pipes to provide the flow, while the centre section passively controls the tone. It’s still not the most evocative exhaust note, but it is honest and purposeful.

Accelerate hard from low revs and you can sense the engine building up boost, but there’s no real lag. The throttle response is pin sharp, particularly in the Type R’s more aggressive drive modes - more on those in a moment - and the mighty mid-range torque is accompanied by a genuine appetite for revs. Before you know it, the engine is lunging for the 7,000 rpm limiter and it’s time to grab another gear. What follows is actually one of the highlights of the Type R experience, because its six-speed manual transmission has arguably the sweetest shift currently on sale.

From a rolling start, the Type R feels even quicker than its sprint times would suggest. On our German test route, it was still pulling determinedly at an indicated 156 mph on the autobahn before traffic intervened. Perhaps more impressively, it felt rock solid at that speed, and it was possible to carry on conversing without raised voices. The sound deadening has certainly improved from the previous car, and Honda has worked hard to cut out some of the more booming exhaust resonance.

The biggest difference is the ride. While the previous car would re-arrange your vertebrate even at the suggestion of engaging +R mode, with its stiffer damper settings, the new one is a lot more civilised. There’s now a Comfort mode, which slackens off the throttle response, the steering weight and the adaptive dampers. It’s still not a limo by any means – you’re constantly aware that you’re in a car designed to demolish lap times – but it does significantly broaden the Type R’s capabilities. Switch back to the default Sport mode and the car actually surges forward a little, as if it’s straining at the leash. The steering gains additional weight and everything tightens up a little, but it remains a usable proposition on the road. Surprisingly, so is +R mode. Once strictly for race tracks and chiropractors, it’s now a realistic option on less forgiving tarmac.

On the track

Thanks to its relatively low weight of 1,380 kg (made possible by shunning the move to four-wheel drive favoured by many of its competitors) the Type R feels very agile. It’s perhaps not quite as light on its feet as the outgoing car, but it is considerably longer. And the upside to the increased wheelbase is greater stability at high speed. You can still feel the back end shimmying a little if you really load up the suspension under braking, but it’s not something you’re likely to encounter in road driving.

On track, the Type R is eye-poppingly quick. Much like its predecessor, it likes to be driven fast and neat. There’s perhaps a tad less throttle adjustability than before. Likewise, while the mechanical limited slip differential still helps to pull the nose in under power it’s now rather more subtle. The traction, however, is every bit as surreal. Despite putting all 320 PS down through the two front tyres there’s rarely any wheel spin and next to no torque steer. Honda’s decision to stick with front-wheel drive appears to be well and truly vindicated.

Another potentially controversial move was the adoption of a variable-rate steering rack. Much like the standard Civic – and indeed the NSX supercar – the Type R pulls it off, however. You rarely even notice the ratio quickening as you wind on lock; the effect simply being that you can always keep your hands in the same position on the wheel. It’s pin-sharp too, and while there’s not a huge amount of feedback there is more than you get in most electrically-assisted steering setups.

Throughout the Civic Type R there’s a recurring theme of precision. There’s something almost clinical about the way it dissects a good road, covering ground at a rate we simply wouldn’t have thought possible for a front-wheel drive hot hatch a few years ago. At the same time, improvements to the ride, interior quality and acoustics have all succeeded in broadening out the car’s appeal. It remains a relatively hardcore choice, but one that’s now far more accessible.

The top-of-the-range DriveLuxe sat nav from Garmin comes packed with smart features as well as lifetime European maps and safety camera updates. Massimo Pini puts it through its paces.

When testing a new sat nav, there are two ways to kick things off. The first is to pore through the instructions and meticulously follow the manufacturer's step by step set-up procedures to the letter. The other route is to get it out, use your instincts and begin operating it immediately. I chose the latter and while it's easy to see it as a lazy choice, I find it's also the option that can quickly highlight a product's strengths or weaknesses.

The product in question is the Garmin DriveLuxe 51 LMT-D and to be frank, things didn’t get off to the best of starts. Setting off from my North London home, I needed to get to Millbrook Proving Ground in Bedfordshire for a driving day, but the device wasn’t recognising the postcode, nor the venue itself as a place of interest.

As time was pressing, after a frustrating couple of minutes I abandoned the exercise and switched to the Waze app on my iPhone – which recognised the location immediately as I began to type.

While it would be easy at this point to simply dismiss the Garmin as ineffective, I thought it important to give it another chance since the Millbrook venue has historically been a bit of a tricky one for sat navs.

To say I’m pleased I did is something of an understatement, as the Garmin hasn’t put a foot wrong since – delivering me seamlessly to a range of subsequent postcodes and address locations.

The Live Services have helped me out with alternative routes that dodged the traffic jams and saved my bacon on a number of occasions. I never needed the live on-street parking information, but it’s a really cool feature that displays pricing and availability trends for on-street public parking as you approach your destination.

Hooking up my iPhone via Bluetooth, I was able to make hands-free calls and see incoming calls, texts and calendar reminders on-screen, without ever being tempted into the dangerous distraction of reaching for my handset – and risking a £200 fine and 6 penalty points!

The DriveLuxe 51 LMT-D comes preloaded with lifetime European maps (45 countries) and safety camera updates and even has built-in Wi-Fi to make it easy to keep your software bang up to date.

The device itself feels weighty in your hand, in a way that conveys robust, high quality construction. Its sleek, contemporary metal casing clamps securely onto the supplied magnetic mount which in turn fixes very easily onto your windscreen.

Initial hiccups aside, I’d have no hesitation in recommending the DriveLuxe 51 LMT-D if you’re looking for a separate device that keeps your phone free to be a phone. It’s not among the cheapest but it does come stacked with clever features. Retailing at £319.99, it’s one of a range of Garmin sat navs available at Halfords who kindly supplied the unit for review – as well as another Garmin device for our competition/giveaway.

The all-new Vauxhall Insignia now bears the Grand Sport moniker. Or should that be Granary Sport? Tim Barnes-Clay reports.

The Vauxhall Insignia is as desirable as a loaf of bread. I’m not trying to be nasty here, I’m being honest. Most of us buy bread as part of our weekly supermarket routine. We might mull over if we should get medium sliced or thick, and we probably already know if we want wholegrain, brown or white. What I mean is, bread is food that does the job. It fills you up quickly and cheaply; it’s also versatile in the sandwich department.

The 2017 Insignia Grand Sport (to give it its full title) is a bit like bread; it’s not something you fantasise about, but you know it’ll do what you want it to do. It’s inexpensive to buy and it doesn’t sell out very often. You’ll be able to fill it up (with fuel and people) and it’ll satisfy your needs without fuss.

The latest Insignia has moved the Griffin-badged car game on, though. You’re still not going to dream about buying or leasing this car, but you’ll be smiling at how much metal you get for your money. You’ll probably be glad that you got the car, but I doubt you’ll be showing it off to your neighbours.

Don’t get me wrong, the Insignia Grand Sport is nothing to be ashamed of; Vauxhall just doesn’t have the brand cachet that some German D-segment rivals, like the BMW 3 Series and Audi A4 possess.

So, what’s the new Insignia like? Well, the car is on a fresh platform, which means it’s now bigger than it used to be. This allows added legroom for rear-seat occupants although the coupe-like roof line does mean taller passengers will find their scalps scraping the headliner.

Looks-wise, the 2017 Insignia has a bundle of new design elements. The most prominent is the longer bonnet, which comes with a central crease. Other features include a boot spoiler, daytime running lights, and a bigger grille. It all adds up to an unpretentious appearance, albeit a superior one, compared with the exiting model.

Step inside the five-door family hatchback’s cabin and, straightaway, it’s a recognisable affair. If you’ve driven the present-day Astra, you’ll see that the instrumentation is almost identical, particularly around the steering wheel and touchscreen. The Insignia Grand Sport is nicely screwed together inside, although some scratchy plastics rain on the parade a little.

Behind the wheel, the Luton-based automaker has made easy work of driving the 2017 Insignia. The touchscreen means fewer buttons litter the dashboard. What’s more, Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, as well as Bluetooth, can be connected, giving the Insignia a more modern and refined feel.

The Grand Sport has a variety of engines driving it. These range from the good value 140ps 1.5-litre petrol turbo, to the top 260ps 2.0-litre petrol turbo 4×4 model. The car firm’s diesel powerplants incorporate a 110ps 1.6-litre turbo diesel, rising to a 170ps 2.0-litre unit.

I drove the Insignia Grand Sport in 140ps 1.5 petrol turbo guise, and found it to be a commendable handler, particularly around the lanes of Worcestershire and Wales where the car’s media drive took place. The hatchback flattens out tarmac bulges well, and turns in to cambers with precision. The most perceptible difference between the Insignia Grand Sport and the withdrawing model is how alert it now feels; it’s sprightlier and far less clumsy on S-bends. It is also composed, hushed and comfortable at motorway cruising speeds.

Fitted with the 1.5 powertrain and smooth-shifting manual six-speed ‘box, zero to 62mph can be realised in 9.3 seconds on its way to a maximum speed of 130mph. More significantly, the Grand Sport, in this semblance, returns 47.9mpg on average and CO2 emissions are pretty low at 133g/km. The big Vauxhall feels a tad underpowered, though – specifically when attempting an overtake on B-roads. The steering wheel also feels too large still – a concern I had with the previous Insignia, but these issues are not deal-breakers.

So, taken as a whole, the Vauxhall Insignia Grand Sport is a car that will satisfy your hunger – if a large family hatch is what you want. You won’t necessarily get all enthusiastic about it, but its comfort, looks, room and selection of engines will please you.

Costing from as little as £17,185 in basic DESIGN 140ps 1.5 Turbo ecoTEC configuration, the new Vauxhall is a car you should add to your shopping list.

We get behind the wheel of Volvo’s brand new mid-sized SUV – the XC60. Massimo Pini reports.

We waited a long time for Volvo to come up with a replacement for its first ever SUV, but when the second-generation XC90 arrived in 2015, our patience was more then rewarded so it was with high expectation that we greeted the the arrival of its smaller sibling, the all-new XC60.

The original had been a strong seller for Volvo and, despite being nine years old, thanks to some subtle upgrades throughout its lifespan, it has recently been enjoying a resurgence in sales – which makes getting its replacement just right, all the more important.

Longer and wider than its predecessor, the new car definitely bears a strong family resemblance to the seven-seater XC90, with crisp styling and exquisite detailing, but it retains a more lithe and dynamic look, thanks in part to its lower stance but also because of its rising window-line that kicks up significantly beyond the rear doors. The scalloping along its flanks is more pronounced, while up front, the XC60 is distinguished by its new Thor’s Hammer headlights which reach all the way to the grille.

The interior is possibly even more impressive as – from a packaging point of view – Volvo’s design team appears to have succeeded in condensing and arranging all of the goodies from the XC90 within a smaller cabin, whilst maintaining a clean and uncluttered ambience. The fit and finish is as good as anything we’ve seen in the class with an elegant mix of pale, matt wood, brushed aluminium, pale leather and piano black detailing surrounding the iPad-style, portrait-format touchscreen centrepiece which dominates the dash.

But the changes are much more than skin deep as the XC60 is the first of Volvo’s mid-sized 60 series models to be built on its Scalable Product Architecture (SPA) platform.

Every XC60 has all-wheel drive and an eight-speed automatic gearbox fitted as standard with power coming initially from a choice of three 2.0-litre, 4-cylinder engines – two diesels (D4 and D5) and one petrol (T5). A T8 Twin Engine petrol-electric plug-in hybrid will join the range later in the year.

There are three trim levels to choose from – Momentum, R-Design and Inscription – and each of these is also available in high spec ‘Pro’ form.

We tested the Momentum Pro fitted with the 188bhp D4 diesel, which is likely to be the most popular power unit with UK buyers thanks to its blend of sprightly performance – 0-60mph in under 8 seconds and a top speed of 127mph – and modest running costs with combined fuel consumption of 55.4 mpg and CO2 emissions of 133 g/km.

The XC60 is not a particularly engaging drive but its handling is predictable and it felt composed and self-assured throughout our test, although it’s worth noting that our car was fitted with the optional adaptive dampers and air suspension. No fireworks, no surprises. This is no damning indictment for Volvo as the Swedes never set out to create a ‘driver’s car’; no, their goal was to build a car that would inspire confidence in its driver – and I think that’s pretty much what they’ve achieved.

We found the performance from the D4 engine to be smooth and adequate for most but if you fancy a bit more punch or need to tow a horsebox now and again, the D5 produces 232bhp and a hefty 354lb.ft of torque – enough for a top speed of 137mph and 0-60mph in around 7 seconds, while still returning combined fuel consumption of 51.4 mpg and CO2 emissions of 144 g/km.

The seats are comfortable and supportive and there’s plenty of head and legroom both in the front and in the rear where passengers will find additional USB ports for charging electronic devices and even an optional three-pin plug socket. Boot space is also good, at 505 litres with the rear seats up, expanding to 1,432 litres with them folded flat.

As you’d expect in a Volvo, safety kit is up there with the very best. Every XC60 comes with the City Safety system as standard and that includes automatic emergency braking with pedestrian, cyclist and large animal detection, as well as Steer Assist which helps you avoid or lessen the severity of collisions at low speeds by assisting with the steering in an emergency situation, such as when swerving to avoid an obstacle.

The optional semi-autonomous Pilot Assist system fitted to our test car has been improved although we still found its inputs to be a little intrusive as it sought to steer, accelerate and brake to keep us within our lane markings at a set distance from the car in front.

On the subject of niggles, we had very few but we found it tricky to master switching between driving modes on the move as the rotary selector is a little too smooth in its action.

Standard equipment is generous as even the entry-level Momentum gets satellite navigation, leather-faced seats, LED headlights with active high beam, dual-zone climate control with ‘CleanZone’ air-filtration, heated front seats, a powered tailgate and 18” alloy wheels.

Despite the above, there are plenty of extra-cost options that you can add so you’ll need to exercise a little self-restraint if you don’t want to break the bank. The D4 Momentum Pro starts from £39,005 but adding the Xenium and Intellisafe Pro packs as well as a few more individual options pushed this figure up to £46,930.

The new XC60 goes up against stiff competition in the shape of the Audi Q5, BMW X3 and Land Rover Discovery Sport, but we think it can more than hold its own in their company thanks to its stylish new design, high-quality interior and top-notch safety systems. Prices start from £37,205 on-the-road for the D4 Momentum, rising to to £57,950 for the forthcoming T8 Plug-in Hybrid.

]]>Renault Scénic and Grand Scénic – First DriveReviewChris PickeringTue, 06 Jun 2017 09:07:00 +0000https://www.newcarnet.co.uk/reviews/renault-scenic-and-grand-scenic-first-drive55d74953e4b054689caf6e9c:55d74c89e4b01f81cf3728e0:58e3e1d6f7e0abde3bdf19e6Can a plain old people carrier be transformed into something sexy enough to
challenge the most stylish of modern SUVs? Chris Pickering drives the
all-new Renault Scenic and Grand Scenic to find out.

Can a plain old people carrier be transformed into something sexy enough to challenge the most stylish of modern SUVs? Chris Pickering drives the all-new Renault Scenic and Grand Scenic to find out.

Back in the days before crossovers ruled the school run, the family transport of choice was a people carrier. Renault effectively invented the concept back in the eighties with the Espace. A decade later it created the compact people carrier with the original Scénic, which has since evolved across four different generations.

This latest model brings a dash of glamour to the segment, with swooping lines and standard-fit 20-inch wheels. To our eyes it’s probably the best looking people carrier ever made, although that does risk damning it with faint praise.

Inside, it’s a similar deal. There are plenty of pleasing curves, decent quality materials and a simple layout, made possible by relegating a lot of the buttons to a large tablet-style touchscreen in the centre of the dash. The A-pillars stretch out in front of you giving a feel of space, although they do also make the Scénic feel rather bigger than it actually is – something that’s exaggerated by the rather lofty driving position.

The basics are all correct, though. The seats are comfy, there’s a reasonable view out for both front and rear passengers and plenty of flexibility in the seating arrangements. Standard models come with five seats, while the extended wheelbase Grand Scénic – identical in most other respects – comes with a collapsible third row, making it an occasional seven-seater. Adults will struggle to get comfortable in the third row, however, and the back of the standard Scénic isn’t as commodious as you might expect. It’s fine for kids, though, and there are the obligatory ISOFIX points on the outer seats of the middle row, plus the front passenger seat.

With the third row folded down there’s a generous 596 litres of boot space in the Grand Scénic (572 litres in the standard car), which extends to more than 1900 litres with the middle row collapsed. That’s more than most of its competitors, and with the resulting flat floor its carrying capacity is almost van-like.

On the road there’s little to choose between the two variants. Both have precise, alert steering and a decent resistance to body roll. The trade-off is a somewhat crashy low-speed ride, but that’s the price you pay for those concept car wheels. There’s even a Sport mode in Multi-Sense system that comes on most models, which sharpens up the throttle response and adds more weight to the steering. It feels a tad redundant in a car like this, though. Personally we’d trade some dynamic polish for a bit more comfort where family duties are concerned.

There are three diesels and two petrols available across the range. Opting for the Grand Scénic knocks a couple of mpg off and adds half a second or so to the 0-to-62 mph time in most cases, but there’s not a great deal to choose between them.

We sampled the Grand Scénic with the dCi 130 diesel engine in the upper-mid spec Dynamique S Nav form. It’s a reasonably smooth engine, although it is a touch vocal at high revs, and there’s also a degree of wind and road noise to contend with.

According to the official figures the dCi 130 is good for 61.4 mpg and 119 g/m of CO2 in Grand Scénic form, with the standard car is rated at 62.8 mpg and 116 g/km with the same engine. That puts it towards the more frugal end of the class, while performance is more than adequate in the real-world, despite a leisurely 11.4 second 0-to-62 mph time.

There’s a commendable amount of standard equipment on the Dynamique S Nav, including DAB radio, TomTom Live navigation (with real-time traffic updates), a head up display and a full-length sunroof.

As tested, our car came with a number of options, including a Bose premium sound system, full LED headlights and a variety of driver assistance features. These included the £500 parking assistance pack, which adds hands-free automatic parking, 360 degree parking sensors and a blind spot detection system. There was also the premium safety pack, which adds active cruise control, safety distance warning and autonomous emergency braking (AEB) for £500. In total, it bumped the price up from £28,445 to £31,085

For comparison, the base spec 1.2-litre petrol variant starts at £23,375 (£21,445 for the standard Scénic) and prices range up to £30,645 and £32,445 respectively for the top-spec Signature Nav in 160 hp diesel auto form.

Overall then, the Scénic and Grand Scénic represent decent value for money, with eye-catching looks, pleasing interiors and bags of luggage space. Throw in a reassuring 5-star Euro NCAP safety rating, plus a four-year 100,000 mile warranty, and it should be enough to tempt some of those families back into their people carriers.

]]>Land Rover Discovery – First DriveReviewTim Barnes-ClayFri, 05 May 2017 12:23:00 +0000https://www.newcarnet.co.uk/reviews/land-rover-discovery-first-drive55d74953e4b054689caf6e9c:55d74c89e4b01f81cf3728e0:58e3d6cbdb29d689ad94a57cTim Barnes-Clay gets the all-new Land Rover Discovery dirty as he test
drives it on and off the roads of Worcestershire and Wales.

Tim Barnes-Clay gets the all-new Land Rover Discovery dirty as he test drives it – on and off the roads of Worcestershire and Wales.

The departing Land Rover Discovery is a bit of a hero. It has assisted adventurers, emergency services, and average Joes, like you and me, who like to get a little bit mucky now and then. Although ageing well, the Discovery needed modernising and Land Rover has done exactly that, bringing the mud-plugger bang up to date with fresh tech and a canny, attractive design.

In the main, this 4x4 machine is one of the most proficient off-road SUVs ever made, and the 2017 Discovery is no different. Thanks to Land Rover’s clever terrain response system, the new model can get going on virtually any surface, including wading through 90cm of water. If you ever want to instigate an expedition, we can’t think of many vehicles better than the incoming ‘Disco’ to do it in.

Back on the tarmac, the all-new Discovery feels very good. You can tell that Land Rover has got its SUV sophistication screwed down, and with the standard eight-speed automatic transmission changing cogs for you, it feels soothing to drive. The way it handles is no shocker, the 2017 Discovery weighs in at 2.1 tonnes, but in some cases, it weighs 480kg less than the former generation - a remarkable amount of weight reduction. Regardless of this, it’s still a hefty car and is best driven at a slower velocity - anything rapid just feels roly-poly when you get to bends.

The engine line-up comprises a 2.0-litre, four-cylinder 240ps oil-burner; a 3.0-litre 258ps six-cylinder diesel unit, and an insane 340ps 3.0-litre supercharged six-cylinder petrol lump. Why is that petrol powerplant nuts? Well, we think you’d be blessed to get 20mpg out of it, and the low-down thrust that the diesels provide is far better suited to the SUV. Pick the 3.0-litre diesel, as driven here, and you could well achieve 39mpg.

The renewed Discovery has acquired the family face of the Land Rover line-up, which undoubtedly took inspiration from the Range Rover. From the side, it’s difficult to tell the 2017 Discovery apart from smaller sibling, the Discovery Sport. But it’s a handsome, contemporary design, and the off-centre number plate on the tailgate makes it rather individual, albeit a ‘marmite’ talking point. We can’t say it’s more attractive than key rival, the Volvo XC90, but it’s far from ugly.

Inside the Disco there’s a wealth of room, and the general quality is terrific - exactly what you’d expect of a modern-day Land Rover and its well-appointed demeanour. With all three rows of seats in use, you’ve got a decent amount of space for seven adult occupants. The second row is adaptable to help anybody too hemmed in within row three, and even with that third tier of chairs in use, there’s still 258-litres of cargo capacity in the boot. Collapse the two seat rows into the floor and you’ve got 2,406-litres of load lugging room.

There are no reservations to be had over the build quality of the 2017 Discovery. It feels as if it’s been hewn from granite - albeit a lavishly finished piece of stone.

There’s never any risk of there being a dearth of technology in the latest Discovery. Whichever trim-level you select - there’s S, SE, HSE, HSE Luxury, and a rationed run of ‘First Edition’ cars - you’re not going to be wanting for kit, although we’d steer away from the ‘S’ and start at ‘SE’.

The ‘SE’ trim level gets you leather seats, navigation, parking sensors, LED headlights, a stereo upgrade and a touchscreen system. It’s a wholesome trim level that, with the 2.0-litre oil-burner, keeps the price-tag below £50,000. From there you can plunge into the options catalogue for extras if you want to. The move to the next stage of trim is ‘HSE’, but you’ll have to dole out £7,500 extra, and it’s hard to rationalise that, though the ‘HSE’ variant offers a panoramic sunroof which adds loads of light into the cabin. Our Land Rover Discovery was in flagship HSE Luxury guise. This trim level adds a Meridian 14-speaker sound system, Windsor leather trim, 21-inch alloy wheels, air suspension, keyless entry and a whole host of other kit you’d expect of a car priced at nearly £65,000.

So, whichever trim level or engine you go for – and if you’re an exploratory sort – then there’s only one car - the 2017 Discovery. Very little can equal it when the black top ends; it’s as talented off-road as nearly anything else devoid of tank tracks. Then again, who really goes die-hard off-roading that often?

]]>Nissan Micra - First DriveReviewMassimo PiniMon, 10 Apr 2017 17:15:00 +0000https://www.newcarnet.co.uk/reviews/nissan-micra-first-drive55d74953e4b054689caf6e9c:55d74c89e4b01f81cf3728e0:5a6f3974e4966be5104bb146The Micra has gone upmarket. Massimo Pini went along to the UK launch to
drive the latest generation of Nissan’s popular small hatchback.

The Micra has gone upmarket. Massimo Pini went along to the UK launch to drive the latest generation of Nissan’s popular small hatchback

The first task for the all-new Nissan Micra is to banish all memories of its predecessor - a thoroughly underwhelming global car - which felt very much like step backwards from the model it replaced.

And a cursory glance at the new car is enough to confirm that it's off to a flying start! The limp 'design by committee' styling is replaced with a dramatic and dynamic new look which borrows much from the SWAY concept car unveiled at the 2015 Geneva Motor Show.

Of course, the all-new body design is accompanied by an all-new platform too. Wider and longer than before, it lends the new Micra a squat and sporty stance which is a million miles away from the old car's 'sit up and beg' demeanour.

Indeed, the transformation is so great, that I wondered whether anyone thought that it might be time to consider a completely new name (I'm old enough to remember when Ford's much-loved, Cortina nameplate was consigned to history with the arrival of the Sierra).

I put the question Nissan's product manager for the Micra, Hiroyuki Taka and he was honest enough to admit that it was a topic of discussion: "Yes, a new name was considered but the Micra brand is one of the strongest in the Nissan portfolio, with a great history and strong recognition among the younger audience at which the new car is targeted, so we decided to stick with it."

But beauty, of course, is in the eye of the holder - so there may be some that miss the old Micra - and only skin deep, so it's what's inside and underneath that will help us to properly evaluate the true scale of Nissan's achievement with the all-new car.

As for the inside, the cabin is a million miles away from the previous Micra’s. Our top-spec Tekna test car featured an appealing mix of soft-touch and two-tone materials creating a very pleasant ambience. Higher-spec models offer the option of interior styling packs (starting from £400) so you can add an extra touch of zing – particularly in the case of the Energy Orange version.

There are five trim levels in total and everything from the mid-spec Acenta and above comes with a 7-inch touchscreen. It’s a fairly intuitive system although some of the icons are a bit on the small side and thus tricky to select on the move. Tekna and N-Connecta models come with the sat-nav and DAB radio built in, while others require the optional Connect package but Apple CarPlay and MirrorLink are standard on the Acenta, so you can access your smartphone apps on screen.

Nissan has made something of a song and dance about its tie-up with Bose for the creation of a Personal premium audio system – unique to the Micra – which delivers an rather effective surround sound experience thanks to two speakers mounted on either side of the driver’s headrest. Fitted as standard to the Tekna, it’s available as an option on selected models as part of a £500 Personal Audio Pack.

Finding a comfortable driving position is a doddle thanks to the standard height-adjustable driver’s seat and a steering wheel that moves for reach as well as height while the dashboard presents large easy-to-read dials and clearly-labelled switches.

Having raved about the all-new exterior, however, you are reminded on one or two occasions that style comes at a price. Firstly, the steeply raked A-pillars can obscure your view at angled junctions while the chunky rear pillars and shallow rear screen make reversing manoeuvres a little awkward unless you’ve opted for the optional rear parking sensors and reversing camera. A 55mm reduction in overall height coupled with a tapering roofline to achieve that appealingly svelte profile has also compromised rear headroom, but in every other respect cabin room is good – and if you take this argument to extremes, we’d all be driving around in boxy cars with skinny pillars and aerodynamic efficiency akin to common house bricks.

If practicality is measured in cupholders and bottle storage, the Micra is King. It has two cupholders between the front seats and one in the rear. Its front door bins will take bottles up to 1.5 litres while its 10-litre glove box has been specifically shaped to accommodate a two-litre drinks bottle! Should you need to carry larger items, then its 300-litre boot will expand to over 1,000 litres with the rear seats folded – so you can see why the arrival of the new MIcra has also signalled the departure of the Nissan Note from the UK market.

Under the skin, you get a choice of three engine options, two petrol and one diesel, and we drove the more powerful petrol unit – a turbocharged 90 PS 0.9-litre unit, emitting just 99g/km of CO2. I think it’s worth paying the premium over the 71 PS entry-level unit as its extra zest gives you the oomph you need not only for urban driving but also for relaxed motorway cruising. It also packs plenty of mid-range punch so you don’t need to rev it nearly as much and that in itself makes your progress somewhat more serene.

The suspension is on the firm side, so it keeps the Micra controlled over most surfaces, but it can become unsettled over broken tarmac and potholes where some of its rivals perform rather better. No such issues on the motorway, however, where the Micra is a comfortable mile muncher, although a sixth ratio on the manual gearbox would make it even better.

The steering is light - ideal in town at low speeds and for parking - but on the open road the wheel doesn’t weight up as progressively as some rivals so it’s not quite as easy to place the Micra when pressing on through the twists and turns, although body roll is well controlled and grip is more than adequate.

Every Micra comes equipped with a list of safety kit that would shame many cars from a class above. Front, side and window airbags, a lane departure warning system and an automatic emergency braking system all helped it achieve a four-star safety rating from Euro NCAP.

So, all in all, the new Nissan Micra is indeed a massive leap forward from its predecessor in every respect. It has style and charm in abundance, it’s easy to drive and to live with and it’s packed with the latest safety kit. For the few - the keener drivers - it falls short of the best in class but I’m sure it will still satisfy the many and figure in the upper reaches of the sales charts.

Skoda is entering uncharted territory with its new Kodiaq. Chris Pickering sampled the large SUV at its UK launch.

Skoda has been carving out a reputation as a builder of practical, well thought-out family cars ever since it became part of the Volkswagen Group in the early nineties. With that in mind, it’s hard to fathom why the Czech brand has taken so long to tap into the hugely lucrative full-size SUV market. True, the Yeti has served Skoda well as a compact crossover, but the new Kodiaq takes things to an entirely different level. It offers seven seat accommodation on higher spec models (available further down the range as an optional extra) and a significant step up in boot space.

It’s a discreetly handsome design, which you could easily mistake for one of the German premium brands. Indeed, the Kodiaq shares its underpinnings with both the Volkswagen Tiguan and the Audi Q2, not to mention the Seat Ateca. It’s usefully larger than all three, though, despite being only 40 mm longer than a Skoda Octavia hatchback.

Inside, it’s all solidly constructed and sensibly laid out. There’s bags of adjustment on the driving position and plenty of head and leg room for the first two rows. Like most seven seat SUVs, the third row (where fitted) is something of a compromise. Slide the middle seats forward and you can – just about – get a pair of adults in there. On the other hand, if your third row passengers are of a suitably compact stature, you can slide one or both sections of the 60/40 split seat back to improve leg room in the middle row.

The Kodiaq also boasts one of the biggest boots in its class, with 720 litres in five-seat form, expanding to a cavernous 2,065 litres with the seats down. It’s worth bearing in mind that the additional seats do eat into that somewhat. With the third row in place there’s less boot volume than in a Ford Fiesta, and although they fold down easily and conveniently you don’t recover all of the lost space. Overall, though, it adds a useful extra dimension that’s sure to find favour with larger families.

Skoda has been busy on the tech side too. Three different grades of infotainment system are offered on the Kodiaq, with touchscreens ranging from 6.5-inch to 9.2-inch. All feature DAB radio and smartphone connectivity as standard, along with Skoda’s Care Connect system, which will alert the emergency services automatically in the event of an accident. Satellite navigation is standard from SE L spec upwards, while the top of the range Edition model gets wireless mobile charging. There’s even an option pack that will turn the Kodiaq into its own WiFi hotspot.

On the move, the Skoda feels a good deal more agile than its seven-seat capability might suggest. This is helped by the steering, which is light yet precise, and the suspension, which keeps body roll well in check. Generally, the ride is fairly good too, although it does have a tendency to fidget a little over sharper bumps and ridges.

The engine options begin with a 1.4-litre turbocharged petrol engine. That might sound small for a car of this size, but the peppy 150 PS variant feels more than adequate for everyday driving. There’s also a 125 PS version of the same engine, plus a 2-litre petrol range topper, which promises 180 PS and 0 to 62 mph in 8.2 seconds.

On the diesel side, there’s a choice of two 2-litre engines. We tried the higher-spec 190 PS unit, which proved a good fit for the Kodiaq, with plenty of torque (400 Nm to be precise) and impressive levels of refinement. However, the 150 PS version is usefully cheaper (not least because it can be had on the lower spec models) and it’s still good for 340 Nm.

The top-spec petrol and diesel engines both come with four-wheel drive and Skoda’s new seven-speed DSG gearbox as standard. This generally works well, although it can be reluctant to change down at times, which blunts the performance on steeper hills. You can override this in manual mode, but you have to use the gear selector unless you want to pay extra for the steering wheel-mounted paddles.

Most of the other models can be had in various permutations of two or four-wheel drive and manual or DSG. Not surprisingly, it’s the two-wheel drive 150 PS DSG-equipped diesel that’s the cleanest in the range, emitting just 131 g/km of CO2, with a claimed fuel economy of 56.5 mpg. The 150 PS petrol and the 190 PS diesel are relatively close on paper, but the 2-litre petrol takes a significant hit at 170 g/km of CO2 and 38.2 mpg.

Overall, the Kodiaq is a bit bigger and a bit better to drive than most of its rivals. Where it really scores, though, is value for money. On paper, it starts at £21,565 and ranges to £34,050. However, mid-range models begin at about £26,000; at which point they’re both nicer than the budget brands and cheaper than the premium offerings. Skoda hopes to tempt new buyers in from both ends of that spectrum. And based on what we’ve seen, it should have no difficulty whatsoever.

The bargain-basement Dacia Sandero has been spruced up for 2017 so Chris Pickering got behind the wheel to check out what's changed.

When the Dacia Sandero was first launched in 2012 it was the cheapest car on sale by some margin. Five years later, this facelifted model retains that title. More impressively, the entry level model still costs just £5,995.

Even half a decade ago that represented a bit of a bargain, but in the meantime the Sandero’s rivals have tended to drift further and further away. What’s more, the only other options you’ll find within a country mile of its price are pint-sized city cars. The Dacia, on the other hand, is a deceptively spacious five-door supermini, with room in the back for a couple of adults and more boot space than you’d find in a Ford Fiesta.

Admittedly, the Sandero’s opportunities to upstage the premium opposition are few and far between thereafter. It’s not that it’s a bad car – far from it, actually – but it is an unashamedly budget offering. Scratchy black plastic abounds in the cabin of our mid-range Ambiance-spec test car and the interior design could best be described as functional.

Ultimately, though, everything works as it should. It’s reasonably comfortable, despite a limited range of adjustment on the seating positon, and there’s plenty of visibility front and rear. There’s also a respectable amount of standard equipment. Ambience trim may bump the price up to £6,995 with the base spec petrol engine, but it includes a DAB radio with Bluetooth and USB input, plus front electric windows and air conditioning.

Today, however, we’re in the 90 hp diesel model. With 220 Nm of torque it feels genuinely punchy by supermini standards and it’s more than up to the job of motorway driving. The five speed gearbox feels a tad notchy at times and the engine can get a bit vocal if worked hard, but overall it’s a respectable package. It’s impressively frugal too, with a claimed 80.7 mpg on combined cycle, although like most cars you’d struggle to achieve that in the real world (think more like 60 mpg unless you spend your entire life on the motorway).

Dynamically, the Sandero is competent, although neither especially sporty nor especially cosseting. The ride can be a little bouncy at times, there’s a fair amount of body roll and the steering isn’t the last word in precision. At speed there’s more wind and road noise than you’d find in the more polished opposition too.

The diesel does add significantly to the price. Our test car came in at £9,790 (including £495 of metallic paint), but that’s still thousands less than you’d expect to spend elsewhere for a new car. And that is really what it comes down to with the Sandero. It’s a brand new car with a 60,000 mile warranty and an admirable record in reliability surveys for less than the amount you can spend on customising some superminis. True, those in search of glamour or excitement would be better off elsewhere, but nothing beats the Sandero on value for money, providing you’re looking for basic, dependable transport.

]]>Suzuki Swift – Launch ReportReviewCharis WhitcombeThu, 30 Mar 2017 18:24:03 +0000https://www.newcarnet.co.uk/reviews/suzuki-swift-launch-report55d74953e4b054689caf6e9c:55d74c89e4b01f81cf3728e0:58dd1f1317bffc5c456f2f91The Swift has been the fastest-selling Suzuki ever with over 5.4 million
finding buyers across the globe since 2005, so we sent Charis Whitcombe
along to see if the all-new car can live up to its popular nameplate.

The Swift has been the fastest-selling Suzuki ever with over 5.4 million finding buyers across the globe since 2005, so we sent Charis Whitcombe along to see if the all-new car can live up to its popular nameplate.

To grasp what’s so good about the new Swift, it helps to look back at the outgoing model, itself a terrific ‘driver’s’ supermini. With handling to please the more enthusiastic motorist, it was no mere shopping cart.

But it wasn’t without faults. Our biggest grizzle was a boot the size of a teacup: the Swift might be a compact supermini, but sometimes you want to get more than a briefcase or handbag back there and it was a struggle. While we’re in moaning mode, this reviewer also had issues with what stylists might call the car’s ‘volumes’. There was something overly tall about the silhouette of the Swift – sort of pillar-box-like, a shape that belied its unusually good handling.

Leap forward seven years and the 2017 model has (to some extent) addressed both these grumbles. The boot has grown by a significant 25% – to 265 litres, which isn’t exactly huge but is a helluva lot better than it was.

And then there’s the overall look of the thing. Suzuki talks about a “bold evolution of Swift’s DNA”, which sets my teeth on edge because it’s what manufacturers always say when they launch a new generation of a popular model. They probably said it about the last model of the Swift, which hit the market in 2010, and I remember we were sarky at the time because the styling changes amounted to slightly stretched lights and a marginally deeper rear bumper. You had to play spot-the-difference to, er, spot the difference.

But this time, the DNA guff is spot-on. In other words, it’s still recognisably the much-loved Swift, but that overly tall impression has gone, thanks both to genuine dimensional changes (15mm lower and 40mm wider) and clever styling tweaks, such as a blacked-out B-pillars and pillar-mounted handles. The tweaks give the impression of a lower centre of gravity and a floating roof. The Swift finally looks like the light, stiff, chuckable little car it really is.

The good stuff doesn’t stop here. Another predictable claim by every manufacturer is that its new baby is inevitably ‘lighter, more powerful and more fuel-efficient’ than the old but, in the case of the Swift, the enhancements are more than mere flannel to describe a miniscule change. Get this: the 2017 Swift is up to 10% lighter, or more than 100kg. That’s huge. It’s getting on for the weight of two passengers, and you can imagine the difference in the feel of the car, not to mention the economy, if you pushed two people out onto the pavement.

Suzuki says the Swift’s target rivals include the Ibiza, Fabia, i20, Rio and Mazda2. This is stiff competition, but the latest Swift is good enough to win quite a few new customers. Of course, a lot will depend on the price, and Suzuki is keeping tight-lipped on that till nearer the June launch date.

We drove what will no doubt be one of the pricier models, the 1.0 3-cylinder Boosterjet 5-speed manual with SHVS – a mild hybrid system that helps to achieve CO2 figures of 97g/km and Combined fuel economy of 65.7mpg. We expected to enjoy it and we did, the lively little car proving agile and responsive, with little in the way of unwanted engine noise and a great ability to corner rapidly. What we didn’t expect was the improved sense of cabin space, particularly in the rear.

Other engines to be offered in the UK are the same 111HP Boosterjet without SHVS (104g/km and 61.4mpg Combined) and the 90HP 1.2-litre Dualjet (98g/km and 65.7mpg without SHVS, or 101g/km and 62.8mpg with both SHVS and 4WD).

There will be a Sport model in due course, but there’s no news on the timing yet. A grudging “maybe in the next six months” is the closest we could get to a tip-off.

Meanwhile, the 3-door Swift is being dropped entirely from the UK model range. We can see the sense in that, as sales were low and now that the rear door-handles are integrated, the 5-door looks 3-doorsier anyway. What we can’t see the sense in is the decision not to offer UK Swift buyers the option of heated seats. Given that Suzuki estimates around 10% of UK Swift sales will be 4WD because – we’re told – a relatively high proportion of loyal Suzuki customers live in rural areas, wouldn’t these buyers appreciate a nice warm bum on a frosty morning? I would.

As mid-life facelifts go, the Subaru BRZ’s is relatively subtle. Perhaps to the disappointment of some, it hasn’t sprouted four-wheel drive or a turbocharger the size of a beach ball. Instead, it remains a car of modest outright performance and accessible limits that rewards with a pure and uniquely analogue driving experience.

Of course, that won’t be to everyone’s taste. The BRZ’s 0-to-60 mph time of 7.6 seconds was mid-table hot hatch territory even 10 years ago, so get ready to be left at the lights. Likewise, in an era where even the smallest city car is turbocharged, it requires a degree of mental recalibration to step into a machine that doesn’t hit its stride until well over 4,000 rpm. Maximum power – all 197 hp of it – doesn’t arrive until 7,000 rpm, by which point most of the turbocharged engines are already head butting the limiter, and probably several hundred yards down the road.

But it’s precisely this old school approach that makes the BRZ so much fun. If you want to make progress you’re going to have to work it, even at speeds which pose relatively little threat to your licence.

And that’s not exactly a chore. The BRZ’s naturally aspirated boxer engine seems to divide opinion, but to these ears its offbeat snarl is suitably purposeful when you’re in the mood and relatively unobtrusive when you’re not. It also takes a drive in something like this – one of only a handful of naturally aspirated performance cars left – to appreciate just how good throttle response used to be.

Yes, you’re going to have to stir the six-speed gearbox. It’s precise to the point of notchiness at times, but the short throw and the immediacy of the shift more than make up for that. The ratios are closely stacked too, which makes short work of the engine’s appetite for revs. Incidentally, that’s not as ominous for the fuel economy as it may sound. Driving in a distinctly spirited manner we still averaged an indicated 30 mpg in the manual BRZ (against a claimed 36.2 mpg).

There’s an automatic version too. Only around 14 per cent of customers opted for this in the original BRZ, and it may sound like complete anathema to such an analogue car, but it’s actually quite good. There’s a slight lull before the gearchanges and a hint of slurring on the upshifts, but the downshifts come with a genuinely indulgent blip of the revs. Despite a small performance penalty on paper (0-to-60 slides to 8.2 seconds and top speed drops to 130 mph) it feels very nearly as quick in the real-world. According to Subaru’s figures it also improves fuel economy to 36.2 mpg and drops the CO2 figure from 180 g/km to 164 g/km.

As before, it’s in the corners where this car really shines, though. The facelifted model gets a subtle but effective series of tweaks to the suspension, which firm up the handling at the same time as improving the ride. Subaru has also re-calibrated the power steering to improve feel – something that, rather unusually for an electrically-assisted setup, the BRZ actually possesses in abundance.

Even with the four-step Vehicle Dynamics Control left fully active you can sense the car taking up a little bit of attitude before the electronics gently rein everything back in. Disable it and there’s as much throttle adjustability as you’re ever likely to want on the road – certainly at real-world speeds on cold, damp British tarmac.

Inside, it’s a more of a mixed bag. The driving position is spot on – low enough to feel sporty, yet retaining decent visibility. The infotainment system is also much better than before and there’s more leather and Alcantara in the cabin. It’s certainly an improvement, but it doesn’t quite shed the bargain basement feel compared to a similarly priced hot hatch, let alone a somewhat pricier Audi TT.

Outside, there’s a raft of styling tweaks for the new model. You’d probably have to line the two cars up to put your finger on them, but the new bumper, wider wheel arches and restyled spoiler do give it a slightly beefier profile than the old BRZ. It also gets new 10-spoke alloy wheels, which are said to improve brake cooling as well as appearance.

Overall then, it’s more of the same. The BRZ increasingly feels like a product of a different era – occasionally in a bad way when it comes to the interior, but mostly in a joyous, life-affirming way when you find a good stretch of road. It’s also better value than before with only one trim, the SE Lux, equivalent to the top spec version of Toyota’s mechanically identical GT86 and yet more than £1,500 cheaper at £26,050 in manual form.

The BRZ still can’t compete with hot hatches for practicality or indeed sheer speed. With token rear seats and a half-useable boot, though, it beats the Mazda MX-5 and the Fiat 124 Spider as an everyday proposition. Plus, its coupe looks and characterful engine give the ‘Toybaru’ a more individual feel. Not everyone will like it, but if you’re in the market for an affordable everyday sports car this deserves to be top of your list.

Renault has put a bit more va va voom into its smallest hatchback and Chris Pickering has driven it.

When the third generation Renault Twingo arrived a couple of years ago it raised the possibility of something really quite special. Surely RenaultSport– the team responsible for some of the most hardcore hot hatches ever made – would be able to work wonders with the Twingo’s rear-engined rear-wheel drive layout?

Sadly we’ll never know as Renault insists this warm GT version is as extreme as the Twingo will ever get. So, bad news if you were expecting a successor to the legendary – and rather bonkers – mid-engined Clio V6. Nonetheless, it has been treated to a fairly comprehensive range of tweaks.

Most obvious are the changes to the Twingo’s 898 cc three-cylinder turbo engine. Officially, the main reason there won’t be a full-strength RenaultSport version is that there’s not enough room in the tiny rear engine bay to accommodate a larger, more powerful motor. The engineers in Dieppe have, however, been able to squeeze an extra 20 PS out of the three-pot (or an extra 40 PS if you compare it to the base model), along with a substantial increase in torque. That’s thanks to a remap and a new cold air feed from the vent that’s sprouted out of the GT’s rear left wheel arch. In total, it brings the figures up to 109 PS and 170 Nm.

The increase in urge is quite noticeable on the road. It’s still not a rocket ship, but the Twingo GT is quicker than most of its city car rivals, with a claimed 9.6-second 0-to-62 mph time and a top speed of 113 mph. The throttle response is also improved, although it can’t disguise the underlying turbo lag; while the initial pick-up is very good, it’s followed by a slight lull before full boost arrives.

There’s a satisfying three-cylinder growl under acceleration. At higher speeds it tends to be drowned out by the wind and road noise, but around town it adds a pleasing dose of character, particularly given that the noise is very definitely coming from behind you (as it tends to do on far more exotic machinery). There’s even a slightly over-the-top snort on start up.

Renault Sport has also had a hand in the suspension. The Twingo GT rides 20 mm lower than the standard car on a natty set of 17-inch alloys, with thicker anti-roll bars and 40% stiffer springs and dampers. The end result is a useful boost in agility with little detriment to the ride quality.

Sniff out some B-roads and the Twingo GT acquits itself well up to a point. The chunky steering wheel feels great to hold, but it doesn’t offer much feedback. Similarly, there’s a pleasing wheel-at-each-corner feel to the chassis, but virtually zero adjustability. We’re told that Renault Sport has recalibrated the non-switchable ESP to allow a little more slip, but as hard as we dared try on the public road we couldn’t summon any. To be fair, that’s probably a great source of comfort if your 17-year old offspring is at the wheel, but it reinforces the message that this is a city car with a bit of added fun-factor, rather than a full-on Renault Sport head banger.

If that all sounds a bit style-over-substance it’s because the Twingo GT arguably is. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, though. It adds a bit of interest to the standard recipe without anything that might catch out the unwary. It also remains a cheap car to run at a claimed 54 mpg, although it’s worth bearing in mind that the 70 PS stop-start version will crack 67 mpg (at least on paper). Elsewhere, the CO2 increase over the standard models will set you back a maximum of £40 more in the first year and make precisely no difference at all thereafter, providing you buy once the new VED brackets come into effect in April.

Inside, it’s a similar story. The drilled aluminium pedals will feel at home to anyone who’s ever driven a go-faster Clio, while the new sports gear knob – superficial as this may sound – falls brilliantly to hand. The five-speed manual gearbox has quite a long throw, but it shifts slickly and it has a lowered set of ratios, which adds to the entertainment of keeping that little triple on the boil.

A series of orange trim highlights brighten up the cabin, which is reasonably well screwed together by small car standards. The part-leather sports seats look and feel good too, and there are the obligatory exterior tweaks, including new side skirts, extended wheel arches and a twin-exhaust.

Insurance-wise, Regular Twingos range from Group 2E to Group 8E, while the GT comes in at 11E. Strangely, however, the GT actually came out cheaper than the next most powerful model when we tried it on a comparison site.

Finally, there’s the price. At £13,775 it represents an £870 increase over the 90 PS version in top-spec Dynamique S trim. If you’re looking for a city car with a sportier image and a touch of added athleticism it’s worth the extra outlay, just be mindful that the standard car covers most of the same bases.

]]>Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrid – First DriveReviewTim Barnes-ClayFri, 10 Feb 2017 18:29:25 +0000https://www.newcarnet.co.uk/reviews/toyota-prius-plug-in-hybrid-first-drive55d74953e4b054689caf6e9c:55d74c89e4b01f81cf3728e0:589e028015d5db8d53b72ce9The New 2017 Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrid looks spaceship-like, but is it as
exciting as it looks? Tim Barnes-Clay put it to the test at the
International Launch in Barcelona.

The new Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrid looks spaceship-like, but is it as exciting as it looks? Tim Barnes-Clay put it to the test at the International Launch in Barcelona.

Let’s get one thing answered – the 2017 Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrid is not exciting, okay? But, that doesn’t mean it’s a bad car. So, let’s be positive here and start with its good points.

This is one very ingenious machine, with some awesome features – the most outstanding being the solar panel roof that can place just enough ‘go’ into the Toyota’s drive battery for an extra few free miles every day. The Prius PHV - as it’s abbreviated to - also has a refreshed electric powertrain.

A large 8.8kWh lithium ion battery is housed under the floor of the Toyota’s boot, together with a hi-tech electrical arrangement to move clout through it. This works well and provides, what is essentially a fourth-generation Prius, some worthwhile shove, especially as the car also has a twin motor hybrid powertrain. This raises pure electric power from 72PS to 103PS. All this gives the Toyota five-door hatch a maximum speed of 84mph when driven in unadulterated electric mode. Mind you, you can only get away with this form of propulsion for so long – the electric range is 39 miles, but expect 20-25 miles real-world.

The Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrid also has a 1.8 petrol engine, and along with the electric wizardry, 122PS is produced – giving a zero to 62mph time of 11.1sec and a maximum speed of 101mph. Hardly exciting, as I said earlier – but it’s not abysmal performance, either. More importantly, the Prius PHV breaths out a tiny 22g/km of CO2 and it’s possible to get 283mpg out of the car. No, that’s not a typo – that’s the claimed figure.

Of course, reality doesn’t always match up to what we’re told, and on a long motorway stretch, I only managed to get 59mpg – but then I did have my foot down – and hardly used electric mode. Instead, I mucked around with the ‘Normal’ ‘Eco’ and ‘Power’ settings, seeing what difference they made to the car. It’s difficult to tell much difference between ‘Eco’ and ‘Normal’ – but the ‘Power’ mode does give you a bit of a push in the back – and a lot more noise – reminiscent of a slightly unhinged vacuum cleaner.

Anyway, away from the tech and figures, the new Prius PHV is pretty similar to the normal Prius – apart from a couple of things. Unlike the regular model, it’s only got two seats in the rear – so it’s a strict four-seater - and the boot is smaller. This is all due to the bigger, newer battery. So, there is a trade off after all, I hear you cry. Yes, these two things could well be a deal-breaker for some potential buyers or leasers. Oh, and I nearly forgot - there is one other notable way of telling the PHV apart from the usual Prius: its rear lights are horizontal, not vertical. I think it looks better this way.

On the move, the car is hushed, due to extra sound-deadening materials, and, when I did venture off the motorway onto Spanish rural routes, the Prius handled corners with barely any lean at all. This is down to retuned suspension springs and dampers. However, there is another trade-off – the tauter set-up means the car does bang and crash over potholes. Yet, back on smooth surfaces, the Toyota feels refined and, when using electric-only mode, I found the car almost silent. Only the whoosh of wind and tyre rumble disturbs the otherwise library-like calm in the cabin.

Once I’d stopped hooning the PHV and started using the electric settings, I achieved a hybrid-mode fuel economy figure of 69mpg – which is loads better than many Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEVs) will do. Alas, that’s only a tiny fraction – probably about 5mpg - better than you’d eke from a run-of-the-mill Prius. It’s also hard to recommend this car over the excellent regular Prius – due to its strict four-seater configuration and its shallower boot.